Are you an employer who is worried about your employees? Do you suspect there may be people abusing alcohol or drugs at work? If someone is showing significant changes that indicate they may be under the influence, it is important to intervene especially since other employees in the office need to be protected. With employee drug testing, you may be able to nip this problem in the bud.

It’s not always illegal drugs that are being abused. Prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs can also be considered a problem. If you see any of the following, you may want to think about using employee drug tests:

Poor job performance

Late arrival

Erratic behavior

Constantly tired

Unusual odors

Slurred speech

Dilated eyes

If you begin to suspect that your employee may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you should do the following:

Understand your company’s policy

In order for you to perform a drug test on an employee, you must have a written drug and alcohol testing policy for reasonable suspicion. If you don’t have one, consider seeking legal assistance to get one in place.

Observe and write down

Make sure that you are taking notes when there is an outburst, issue, complaint or anything out of the ordinary when it comes to the employee under suspicion. Observe their behavior and physical signs that may show they are abusing drugs or alcohol.

Meet with the employee

You should have a witness with you when you meet with the employees to discuss their behavior or work.

Conduct a drug test

Again, make sure your company policy allows for employee drug testing under reasonable suspicion. U.S. HealthWorks, an Occupational Medicine company, wants you to be protected in this legal situation so it is extremely important that you consult legal counsel if you are unsure.

Source: 6 Steps to Take When You Suspect an Employee is Using Drugs, i-sight.com